Variable-speed driving mechanism.



PTENTED JULY l0, 1906.

E. M. RUOK.

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APEA 9. 1906.

IFJLN ll Il "To ad, zii/wm it .may concern:

)certain new and useful Improvements in driving and graduated alteration of speed gard to shock and slip) incidental to the use of toothed r wheel-gearing and of conoidal 'Y ,friction-pulley variable-speed mechanism, re-

` consists, essentiall to turn as one about a common axis, succes- A1n one plane passing through the'common matically-acting control instead of by auto- "iblliTED STATES narnvr onirica.

VARIABLE-SPEED DRIVING MECHANISWI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July l0, 1906.

Application filed April 9,1905. Serial N0- 310,697.

Be it known that l, RICHARD ;\lA'r'1Hn\vs BUCK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 44 Thurloe Square, South Kensington, London, England, have invented Variable-Speed Driving Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of variable-speed driving mechanism which is de scribed in an application for Letters Patent of even date herewith and having Serial No. 310,696, and the object of which is to combine the advantages (with regard to positive ratio) and avoid the disadvantages (witlrrespectively.

vDriving mechanism of the type referred to in the combination of a so-calledtoothe cone constituted by a series of juxtaposed toothed rings mounted sive rings having progressively-varying numbers of teeth of equal pitch and one tooth of all the rings being alined to form a row lying axis of the rings, a shaft journaled to rotate in bearings in the same plane with the axis and parallel to the bounding-surface. of the cone, a toothed pinion splined upon said shaft and adapted to gear with the severalv toothed rings of the cone alternatively, and means for enabling said pinion to be moved along the shaft in either direction step by step, so as to pass out of gear with one ring and into gear with an adjacent ring of teeth of the cone at those moments only when the, row of alined teeth is brought into the common plane of the axes of the cone and shaft.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means for enabling the pinion member of the mechanism to be shifted lengthwise of the cone by hand under automaticallyactuated mechanism under manual control, as described in the 'previous application of even date herewith. i

The invention' will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure' 1 represents, in sectional plan view,

a form ci the imy roved variablespeed driving-gear designe specially for use on motor* i cars. Fig. 2 is a partial end view of a socalled toothed cone One member'of the variable-speed mechanism consists of a series A A2 A3,. tcl, of rings of teeth iixed side by side upon a shaft B, successive rings having progressivelyvarying numbers of teeth of equal pitch and the diameters of successive rings A A2 A3, Sac., consequently varying progressively, so that the series of rings together constitute what may be termed a toothed cone A. The other member of the variable-speed mechanism consists of a toothed pinion C, having teeth adapted to gear with those of the so-called cone, this pinion being splined upon a shaft D, which lies in the same plane Awith the shaft B of the cone, parallel to the members A and C of the variable-speed mech- 8o anism in any the ratio pinion C and the number in any one of the rings of teeth constituting the cone A, ac-

speed ratio corresponding to cording to the position for the time being of 8 the pinion lengthwise of the cone.

In order that the pinion C may be so moved along its shaft D as to be brought into gear withl successive rings of teeth on the cone while both members A and C of the gear are rotating, the rin s of teeth constituting the cone are arrange in such angular relation to one another about their common axis' that (as indicated in Fig. 2) all the rings have one tooth a (or space between two adjacent teeth) alined in a row which lies in one plane passing through the axis of the cone, so that when during the revolution of the cone said plane coincides with the plane wherein the axes of the cone A and pinion C both lie the roo pinion may without shock be movedvout of gear with that ring of teeth with which it is then in engagement and into gear with either of the rings adjacent to said ring. The arrangement thus momentarily in gear with two adjacent rings of teeth at one and the same time instead of necessitating the pinion being thrown entirely out of gear with one ring before being thrown into gear with another. cessive rings of teeth may neciasely juxtau posed, as shown, and the mc veinL 'it whereb` `l between the number of teeth in they permits of thepmion being 105 i 4o slide F, the speed ratio step by step atthose moments when a row of alinedfteeth a, (or of grooves between two x teeth) onthe cone isbroug-ht into the cornrnon p'lane ofthe axes of 'the cone A and shaft D; each such-step-by-step movement of the pinion `C heilig limited to a distance equal to the breadth of a-sinvlev ring of teethof the zo cone, so thatI although the actual shifting of the pinion=is erformed by hand the amplitude ofthe s '.tingA movement will be con starrt and. of' the deinitex extent required.

A Forfthis vpurpose the hub offthe pinion C has z 5 a peripheral tgroove c, which is enga ed by a fork f carrie A.by a slide tted to'wor to and roovera series of collars e upon a shaftE, which isv journ led in bearings' e parallel to thepinion-'shat D: .The distance apart of inia plane er endicular to the axis of the shaft E. jre atter isdrven continuously 1n one direction at a constant'speed, bearing a 35 definite ratio1to-that at which the cone A rotates, and the collars e are provided, as at e2, with gaps bounded by knife-edges and adapted to g've passage to knife-edged studs j" f2, carrie by and projectin inwardly from the etween the cone A andshaft D 'being so adjusted that each time arow of alined teeth a on the cone is brought into the common Aplane of the axes of theI c'one'A and pinion-shaftD a gap e2 will be 4 5 ,broughtA into registration with eachof the studs f 2, and consequently the slide F will be free to be'rnoved lengthwise of the shaft E. The studs f f iit between the collars @,so

that,- excepting atthe moments rei' erred to,I 5o the slide F is held securely against movement lengthwise of the shaft E.

It Will'bc obvious' that any convenient number of studs, such as f f2, ma be em- Y compressed by the movementcf the handle' ployed, provided'they arelso placer as to be simultaneousl in'registrationwith gaps e2 in the'correspon ing collars.

' The gaps e2 'in successive collars are not in alinement with one another, but occupy different angular positions about the axis of the collar-shaft E, so that each time a row of alined teeth a on the cone is brought into the common plane ofthe axes-of thel cone A and inion-shaft D the'extent to which the slide l and pinion C can be moved is only equal to the distance from center to center ol' the thel collarse is equal to thatI ofthe rings ofA teeth on the cone A", and each collar extendsV width of two adjacent rings of teeth on the cone. In the example illustrated the aps e2 in successive collars e are situated alternately y at opposite ends of adiameter of the shaft E, l which must therefore make one-half of a r'ev- 7o oluticn while the cone A rotates through the angular interval separating two rows of alined teetlfa. 'A

The means for moving the slide F by hand lengthwise ofthe collar-shaft E are as-follows: 7 5 The slide F is connected by 'an arm 1 with a sleeve R, slidable upon a rod S, parallel to the shaft E and itself capable of bein slidS (through bearings i inthe frame- I) in t e di# rectionof its ownaxis to a distance equal fto 8o the' entire range ot movement of the slidelli lengthwise of shaftE. The rod S' has fixed" upon itbeyond each end'o'the sleeve- Ra collar Ri, between which and the correspond-L ing end oithe sleeve is interposed=a'spring's, 85 so that'the sleeve R ifslid along the rod '-S in-r either direction will tend to return .to a'posi4 tion midway between the collars R-, At-` l tached to the rod S is alhandle s adapted Ito a engage under gravity orv spring-pressure in'- 9o any one of a series of notches in a rack S, einI tending parallel with the rod S, the distance' apart ofthe notches correspondingto that cfg 'l the collars e on the shaft E, so that the hanldli" when engage-d with the rack will vlock-the. pin; 9 5 ion C against movement' len thwiseY ofl tli'el cone A, the' position of the 'andle 'serving also to indicate the position of the pinion rela ltively tothe cone.

Suppose now-that'it is desired to shiftthe` ico inion C along the cone A1 from one ring 'of i teeth to the next ad jacent-ring. The handlel s is lifted out of that notch in the bar S" with which it has been resting in engagement'arrd is moved into engagement Wit the neXt 105 notch in the required direction, carr ingalong with it thev rod S and collars R. fiati' the instant when this movementis performed the gaps e? in the collars e happen to register with the studs j" f2, the slide F will be at once I 1.o' moved to the required extent; otherwise the collars e will engage the studs and ob.

lstruct the movement of the slide, and therefore compression ol one or other-of the springs s will be produced until registration of the gaps e2 with the studsj" `2 is broughtfaboutby the rotation of the raft E, whereupon that one of the springs s which had been" s and collars it relatively to the sleeve'R"l 12o will como suddenly into action and will shoot-- the sleeve along the rod S, so as to move the' slide F suddenly to the extent of onestepI along the shaft E, carrying the pinion C atl' the same time one complete step along the cone A. Should a stud in passingthrough a gap e2 be struck by the collar, the knife-edges will prevent the occurrence of jamming,

Only so much clearance need be allowed bclwecn the ends ol the sleeve lt und the Io- 13o spective collars R as will permit of the handie s and rod S being moved a single step at one time. So long, however, as the pressure of the hand is applied to the handle s in either direction the step-by-step travel of the pinion C will proceed continuously Within the limits of length of the collar-shaft E, the use of the rack S not being essential.

in the arrangement illustrated, which, as already stated, shows a form ofthe improved driving-gear designed specially for use on motor-cars, the pinion-shaft D is driven direct from the motor-shaft J through the universal joint j, and motionA is therefore conveyed from shaft D to the cone A through the pinion C'at variable speed, the cone-shaft B driving the Cardan shaft G through a sleeve T, turning upon the corresponding end of shaft D in a bearing in the frame I and coupled to the Cardan shaft through a universal joint g. Fast upon the sleeve T is a wheel T constantly in gear with a pinion B', fast on the cone-shaft B, and also in gear with a wheel U, fast on the shaft E, so that the shafts G and E are both driven at speeds proportionate to that of the cone A. t

The pinion C may be moved out of gear with the cone A at either end of the latter, so as to enable the driving of the Cardan shaft G to be stopped without any preliminary graduation of speed when running at either the extreme highest or lowest speed. The pinion C when slid in the direction of the larger end of the cone A beyond the position of no gear is thrown into gear with an idle wheel L, constantly in Gear with a Wheel L2, fast on the cone-shaft D, so as to cause the cone to be driven in the reverse direction, but only at a single speed. When the pinion C is slid in the direction of the smaller end of the cone beyond the position of no gear, a set of clutch-teeth o, carried by the pinion, are caused to engage with corresponding clutchteeth t on the end of the sleeve T, with the result` that the shaft Dis coupled directly to the sleeve T, and thus motion will be transmitted from the motor-shaft J to the Cardan shaft G without the intervention of thc variable-speed gear.

l claiml. The combination with variable-speed driving inecfianism consisting of a so-callcd toothed cone constituted by a series of juxtaposed toothed rings mounted to turn as one about a common axis, successive rings having progressively-varying numbers of tecth of equal pitch and one tooth of all the rings being alinfd to form a row lying in one plane passing through the common axis of the rings; a shaft journaled to rotate in the same plane with the axis and parallel to the boundingsurface of the cone; and a toothed pinion splined upon said shaft and adapted to gear with the several toothed rings of the cone alternatively; of means for enabling the pinion to bebrought manually into gear with the several toothed rings in succc .sion while the cone and pinion are both rotating; said means consisting essentially of a member actuated in time with the revolutions of the cone and adapted to permit successive/movements of the pinion in either direction lengthwise of its axis to an extent equal to the distance apart of'successive rings of teeth, only at those moments when a row of alined teeth on the cone is brought into the common laneof the axes of the cone and pinion; and) means for applying yielding pressure to the pinion. in either direction lengthwise of its axis, substantially as specified.

2. YVariable-speed driving mechanism consisting in the combination with a so-called toothed cone constituted by a series of juxtaposed toothed rings mounted to turn as one about a common axis, successive rings having progressively-varying numbers of teeth of equal pitch and one tooth of all the rings being alined to form a row lying in one plane passing through the common axis of the rings; a shaft journaled to rotate in the same lane with the axisl and parallel to the bonn ing-surface of the cone and a toothed pinion splined upon said shaft and ada ted to gear with the several toothed rings o the cone alternatively; of a shaft journaled in bearings parallel to the axis of said pinion; a series of orapped collars on said shaft, spaced a art at distances equal to the distance'apart o the toothed rings of the cone; a slide couled to said )inion and fitted to Work to and rco ro over sai collars; a stud carried by said slide adapted to 'engage between said collars and to pass through the gaps therein; gearing for rotating the collar-carrying shaft continuousl)r in. one direction at suczh speed rela- 41o 5 tively to that of the cone as to cause the gaps in the collars to be brought into registration with said stud only when a row of alined teeth in all the rings of the cone are brought into the common 'plane of the axes of the no cone and pinion; and means for applying yielding pressure to said slide in either direction lengthwise of the collar-carrying shaft,

substantially as specified.

3. Variable-speed drivin mechanism conx r 5 sisting of a so-callcd toothe cone constituted by a series of juxtaposed toothed rings mounted to turn as one about a common axis, successive rings havin progressively-varying numbers of teeth o equal pitch and one izo tooth of all the rinus being alined to form a row lying in one plane passing through the common axis of the rings; a shaft journaled to rotate in the same plane with the axis and parallel to the bounding-surface of the cone; a toothed pinion splined upon said shaft and adapted to gear with the several toothed rings of the cone alternatively; a member actuated in time with the revolutions of the cone and adapted to permit successive move- 13o l ments ofthe pinion in either direction lengthwise of its axis to an extent equal to the clistance apart of successive 'rings of teeth, only at those moments when a row of alined teeth v on the cone is brought into the common plane of the axes of the cone and pinion; a member provided with a handle and mounted to slide parallel to the axis of the pinion; a sleeve oon-4 'sition to which it may .stantially as specified.

and the respective shoulders; a handle attaehed to said member; and a stationary rack-bar mounted parallel to the axis of the inion and adapted t0 interlock With Said andle so as to retain said member in the pohave been moved, sub- RICHARD MATTHEWS RUoK.,

Witnesses: l

GEORGE ERNEST MINTERN, x l WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

